


Friendship (Or Something More) In Times Of The Apocalypse

by paupotter_4869



Series: The Most Important Thing. . . [15]
Category: The Last of Us (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, Father-Daughter Relationship, Start of Something New, Teasing, hints of romance, paired patrols, ride out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:00:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28106685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paupotter_4869/pseuds/paupotter_4869
Summary: Something starts to bloom between Joel and one of the women from Jackson. Ellie, of course, seizes the chance teases Joel to no end, while encouraging him to take the first step.
Relationships: Ellie & Joel (The Last of Us), Joel (The Last of Us)/Original Female Character(s)
Series: The Most Important Thing. . . [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2033674
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	Friendship (Or Something More) In Times Of The Apocalypse

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own anything. All credit to Naughty Dogs. Enjoy! :)

“Hey, did I tell you that Max has started to read, finally?” 

“No way! That’s awesome, Jess!” 

“I know! Beth is truly a miracle-worker, she is.” 

“Max will be winning Spelling Bees in no time, you’ll see,” Joel said, winking at the first-time mother, who blushed and smiled in response. 

Gathered in a small circle, sharing drinks and sandwiches for breakfast, Joel marveled at the fact that he could still make small talk easily. It was, after all, a skill he hadn’t practiced nor polished in more than twenty years and had assumed he’d lost completely. He still remembered the small talk he’d endured when picking up Sarah from class or her after-school practices and those were hell on Earth. 

As it turned out, however, he now enjoyed those conversations with the townsfolk, Jess, Andrew, Michael, Alicia, and Noah in this case. Having the freedom of just taking five or ten minutes from their routine and their duties to just. . . Chat? It felt like a miracle, to this day. For more than twenty years, his life had always been about surviving day after day, outsmarting the military, the Infected, and sometimes other gangs and citizens. There were no such threats here in Jackson, they could actually breathe freely and sleep with both their eyes closed—attacking another citizen could result in immediate expulsion from the town. 

“Speaking of Beth. . . Joel, did she talk to you about giving music lessons at the school?” Noah asked. 

Joel smiled politely against his mug, containing a fairly decent tea, albeit he still missed coffee so much. He knew he’d be pestered about it sooner rather than later and was prepared to defend his stand, the same way he turned down Beth’s offer last week. He just couldn’t see himself in charge of fifteen-or-so kids. Having Ellie in his care was more than enough for the time being, thank you very much. 

“She did. And I had to decline. I’m not sure I’m the most adequate person to ask.” 

“And we think you’d be the perfect person for the job,” Jessica argued. “Tommy said you taught him how to play the guitar and now you’re doing a fine job with Ellie, too.” 

“That’s different,” Joel replied, without any more arguments to follow. 

“You don’t have to be so terrified, man. You’d only be teaching the kids the scales and some songs, that’s all.” 

_“Only?”_ Joel repeated, making Andrew laugh—the way he phrased it, it sounded much harder than he’d intended. 

“Truly,” Michael nodded. “We’re not asking you to train the new Mozart, either.” 

“HEY, JOEL!” Ellie yelled at their backs. “HURRY UP!” 

The man in question and the four adults surrounding him turned around, frozen smiles on their faces upon the sudden and rude interruption, and saw the aforementioned girl mounted on her horse. She was glaring at Joel, ready to fly off, alone if necessary, in case her partner in the patrols couldn’t be bothered to join in. 

He chuckled, knowing that Ellie could and would leave him behind. 

“Guess I should get going,” he said, apologetic tone. The townfolks looked astonished at him and Ellie, albeit realizing there was no way they could finish their previous conversation in a more appropriate way. “Sorry 'bout that. See you guys later.” 

“Sure,” Noah nodded in a farewell note. 

“Be safe.” 

“Godspeed,” added Alicia. She took the empty coffee mug Joel was drinking while chatting, and followed the man to the stables, while their friends and neighbors all scattered around—they all had places to be. 

As per Joel, he was returning to the stables, not really in a hurry, and picked up his coat and backpack. He then checked all of his guns, in turn, to see if they were loaded and functional. Only then, did he approach Ellie, who was holding onto Pilgrim’s reigns for him. 

“Hurry up!” she insisted, murderous intent in her eyes, for she could tell Joel was wasting time on purpose to irk her. 

“It’s OK, kiddo,” he said, climbing onto Pilgrim. “We’re just on time.” 

“Everyone else has left already!” 

“You know, me having a chat with the neighbors is called being polite—not that you know what that means, of course.” 

“What’d be the point?” she scoffed. 

“Well, now, we live in a community now and need to make nice with. . .” 

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Ellie interrupted his speech, waving an uninterested hand in front of him, when she caught Joel _still_ wasting more time by checking the length of his stirrups. “Are you going to be ready at some point before next year?” 

“That depends—did you check your reigns and your weapons?” 

Scowling under her breath, Ellie spurred her horse away from Joel before he attempted to check her stirrups, too. 

“A hundred times.” 

“Do it a hundred and one, just for me,” he commanded, going into a full overprotective legal guardian, now. “You can never be too cautious.” 

In spite of it being a colossal waste of time for them both, Ellie abode Joel’s instructions and made a point to check her reigns, the tightness of her saddler, the length of her stirrups, as well as her weapons, using exaggerated movements to show him exactly what she was doing and how much it irritated her. She was only humoring him because they were just so close to going through those damned doors and leaving Jackson behind for a few hours—she was itching to be outdoors again. 

However, their departure was delayed yet again by someone else. 

“Joel,” Alicia called him out. 

Ellie groaned—they could almost smell the fresh, free air outside—but the man pulled on Pilgrim’s reigns to turn around and face the woman. She’d stayed behind for no apparent reason. Except for the people on the look-outs, the folks opening the doors, and people on cleaning the stables duties, everyone was back into town, inside their homes, with fires going on preventing them from freezing their asses off. 

“It’s cold,” she said. “Take this.” 

She offered him her scarf, clearly homemade knitted, and Joel tried to refuse at first, arguing she could be cold, too. 

“I insist,” she said. 

After debating for a second what would be ruder, if flat-out refusing her gift or leaving her without a scarf on such a cold early morning like today, Joel simply leaned forward and let Alicia wrap the scarf around his neck. It was a bright, red color that didn’t match his clothes—inconspicuous and plain as they were to explore the woods and walk through the forest undetected by animals, Infected, and other threats. He didn’t point it out loud and smiled in appreciation. 

“Thank you, ma’am,” he said, without seeing Alicia’s red cheeks, or pretending they’re a consequence of the cold. “I’ll give it back this evening.” 

“Come to my house. I don’t have any coffee, but I can offer you some hot tea.” 

Joel nodded, unable to come up with coherent words. He just looked up at Ellie, uncomfortable and confused as to what he was supposed to do or say next, and she pointed outside with a wave of her head. He seemed to remember they were meant to leave on patrol duties. He needed a second more to command his legs to squeeze Pilgrim forward. 

“Be careful out there,” Alicia bid farewell. 

“Always am,” nodded Joel. 

With Ellie following closely behind, uncharacteristically quiet even though they were at long last leaving Jackson, they went through the gates and soon ventured into the woods. The only signs of the other patrols were the footprints on the snow, although they wouldn’t see them out here in the forest unless something went astray. 

They enjoyed a peaceful journey through the mountains for about three miles. It was quiet after last night’s snowstorm—one of those mornings where it called to sleep in and stay in bed under the blankets, and then enjoy a coffee and a movie. For some reason, Joel couldn’t picture himself doing all of that in the evening, however. 

At that point, Joel groaned. The fact that Ellie had kept silent for so long meant something was up and it usually wasn’t good news. 

“I can almost hear your wheels turning,” he scowled, and then ordered, “spit it out.” 

“Oh, I thought we were pretending nothing happened back there,” Ellie said, amused and nonchalant voice. 

“What’re you talking about?” 

“I saw you and Alicia. I think the whole town saw except for you two.” 

“She was being polite,” scowled Joel. “Maybe you should practice some manners to know what those are.” 

“Never seen you accepting a woman’s scarf before,” Ellie pointed out, without reacting to Joel’s teasing. He looked down at the scarf, which definitely wasn’t patrol-regulation approved, but he appreciated Alicia lending it to him nonetheless. 

“You’re reading too much into it. And look where you’re going,” he scowled, pointing at the direction they were supposed to take to reach their first lookout. 

Ellie fixed her trajectory without dropping the subject. “Come on, Joel. You have to promise me you’ll go to her place later. Talk a little bit with her, have some fun. . .” 

“Those days are long gone for me, kiddo,” he reasoned, low voice. 

“Don’t see why. You’re not dead yet, Joel, although you’re close—”

“Careful there, missus,” he warned upon Ellie teasing him about his age yet again. “An accident on a horse could be _very_ dangerous.” 

The girl kept talking as if he hadn’t just threatened to throw her off her horse, or worse. Joel couldn’t quite wrap his mind around the subject at hand, not even the idea Ellie kept pestering him with. He hadn’t considered it was even a possibility to think about—what? Dating? It sounded so pretentious and out of place—after the Apocalypse. Even before the outbreak, he thought it was useless and eccentric to consider it. He didn’t miss having someone to share his life with. He had Sarah to take care of, who occupied each of his thoughts throughout the day. Even though his daughter, just like Ellie was doing at that exact moment, used to bring up this exact subject from time to time. Joel always dismissed it. 

“She’s nice,” argued Ellie. “And she’s pretty. And she’s the best cook in town! Come on, you’d spare from eating any more burnt steaks!” 

“Hey, I thought you liked my cooking.” 

“I abhor your cooking. And do not try changing the subject, Joel.” 

He sighed, his attempt at distracting Ellie gone out the window. He would spur Pilgrim off and try to get away from Ellie, her words, and her thoughts if he could, but the idea of paired patrols was not to split up from one’s partner. 

“Ellie, I just. . . It’s complicated.” 

“ _Un_ complicate it for me. I think I can keep up.” 

“I. . . You know I come with a pretty dark past.” 

“Who doesn’t, these days?” Ellie replied. “Alicia was married before the Apocalypse. He died. She didn’t. Doesn’t mean she can’t get a life, you know. And so can you.” 

“How’d you know that? It’s not like you to show interest in other people’s lives.” 

“I just keep my ears open,” the girl shrugged, nonchalant. 

A bit distressed over the whole conversation, Joel pondered, concerned at the idea. Alicia had been nice to Ellie and him since they got to Jackson. She’d introduced him to many townsfolk, and whenever he needed a favor she was there for him—and vice versa. She stopped by with food from time to time and she was always present on those summer nights where Joel and Tommy played their guitars at the porch. Yeah, he wasn’t going to deny he enjoyed talking to her and relished whatever time he spent with her. 

It felt so strange and out of place, however. As if these things couldn’t happen. Even considering the idea was stupid, he knew that much. If there had never been an outbreak, if life had moved on as it was supposed to and Sarah had grown old and emancipated when she should have, if she’d had her own life. . . Would he have considered it? He thought he knew the answer. 

And now? Was the idea too unfathomable? Or could he make an argument that everyone who’d survived the Apocalypse for more than two decades had been through so much darkness and pain that they all deserved a second chance? Was he truly that naïve? 

“I mean, I truly cannot understand what she can possibly see in you,” Ellie muttered, returning Joel to Earth. 

“Very funny,” he scowled. “You know, we’re talking a lot about _my_ love life, but we don’t seem to be talking about yours much.” 

Ellie groaned in response, shaking her head. Joel laughed at her obvious discomfort, not liking the change of subject too much, the same way she had twisted his arm previously. She could give but not take, he reckoned. 

“It’s pretty much non-existent, as you well know. And I’m still waiting for you to promise to have tea with Alicia this evening.” 

Before committing to anything, Joel pondered. Having afternoon coffee or tea with other townfolk after a day of patrolling wasn’t exactly out of the ordinary, but it usually happened at the canteen and involved two more dozen people. Although it was only tea, agreeing to it seemed like so much more than just having a warm drink after an exhausting day out of town, patrolling for possible Infected too near to Jackson.


End file.
